Legendary Lives The Cat with Gold Eyes.pdf

The Cat

With Gold Eyes

A Legendary Lives Adventure

By Joe Williams & Kathleen Williams

Email me at: freeRPGs@comcast.net

The Cat

The Cat With Gold Eyes

Background

biscuits taste awful, and she keeps me awake all

night with her strange thumping and moaning. She

won’t even let me leave my room! I know of no other

way to get this note to you than to throw it out the

window and trust to the goodness of some stranger’s

heart.

As I am certain you know, Herbert, I am dying.

By the time this reaches you, I shall probably be

dead. Of course, this news will bring you no grief.

You have waited long to inherit my riches. But there

is a catch.

To inherit my fortune, you must present the

contents of this box to the High Judge within 7 days

of receiving this note. The means to open this box

can be found in my home. If you fail, everything I

own will be left to my cats for their perpetual care.

Now we shall see if your greed is strong enough

to bring you back into my home.

Serena Twelvetrees.

P.S. The Cat with the Gold Eyes is the key.

Author’s Note: This adventure was written for

the first edition rules. Some conversions will be

necessary.

Herbert Twelvetrees, a successful forester

merchant, is hiring adventurers to perform a

seemingly simple task. His aunt, Serene, recently

died. In order to gain his inheritance, Herbert must

go into her mansion and get the cat with the gold

eyes. Herbert’s problem is that he has a strong fear

of cats, and try as he might, he simply can’t bring

himself to search the old lady’s house. Serena loved

cats, and filled her house with strays. Herbert will

gladly hire any number of adventurers to search

his aunt’s house and bring him the cat with the

gold eyes before midnight. In exchange, Herbert

will offer each character a promissory note good

for $100 in trade at any of his fine stores.

The characters must bring the cat to the High

Judge’s mansion, where Herbert will be waiting

with ‘the box.’ And they must hurry!

It will take an Awesome Strength roll in order

to smash the box, but Herbert will not want to do

so, for fear of damaging what is inside. Herbert

will refuse to turn over the box to anyone.

The Box

More about Serena

If the players ask about the box, Herbert will

show them a carved, cherrywood box. It is 8’ x 6’ x

4’, surprisingly light weight, and has no discernable

lid, lock or mechanism. Along its edges are stylistic

carvings of cats. The top of the box shows the

profiles of two cats standing nose to nose. They

each have a front paw raised, and their eyes are

very large, round, and deeply carved. A Good

Memory roll or a Great Knowledge roll will reveal

to a player that this box is of gypsy design.

Herbert will explain that the box was given to

him by the High Judge upon the death of Serenea.

Tied to the box was the following note:

The characters can question Herbert for more

information. Give them as much information as you

feel is appropriate, depending on their line of

inquiry and on their Question rolls.

Serena’s husband was Manfred Twelvetrees, a

successful alchemist who died several years ago.

When her two children, Corren and Amanda,

disappeared under mysterious circumstances,

Serena cloistered herself in her mansion, and

began lavishing attention on stray cats. Recently,

Serena became so feeble that it was necessary for

Herbert to hire a nurse, Yolanda, to attend her. As

Serena became more and more enfeebled, her

mind snapped and she began to suspect everyone

of plotting against her.

To my nephew, Herbert Twelvetrees,

I’ll never understand why you sent Yolanda to

tend me. She let all the other servants go, her

The Cat With Gold Eyes

Eight days ago, a firbolg delivered the box to

the High Judge. The firbolg said he found it on the

lawn while passing Serena’s mansion. The firbolg

read the note and considered it his duty to deliver

it to the authorities. The High Judge sent a

constable to investigate the house, but it was

locked tight and no one was home.

The following day, Serena’s body was

delivered to the undertaker by a hob and a

serpentine who said they had been paid by a

woman who fit Yolanda’s description. An

investigation of the body showed she had died of

natural causes, most likely old age. Her stamina

must have simply given out. The High Judge

decided that Serena’s note constituted a lawful will,

and passed it along to Herbert.

That was one week ago. Herbert now has only

until midnight tonight to open the box and collect

his inheritance.

Yolanda will suddenly appear on the stairs.

She looks like an elfin with dark hair and green

eyes. She is dressed in black (no armor) and carries

a dagger at her side. She will indignantly tell the

party to leave her house. ‘My mother wants me to

have this house. I will not let Herbert take it away

from me!’ She will then attempt to make a

telepathic link with one of the party members (see

below). She then reverts to cat form, and runs

upstairs. At this point, the house cats will attack the

party. After four cats are killed, the rest will flee

out the doors and up the stairs.

CAT

Str Cat

Agi Sup

Int Pat

Cun Pas

Cha ---

Run Gud

Hos Inf

Com Pas

Dam Inf x 3

BP 1

Twelvetrees Mansion

The mansion is roughly 3 miles out of town,

and appears quite deserted. The windows are

boarded up and blocked by drapes. Both entrances

(front and back) are locked, but the front door can

be unlocked with an Unlock(Pas) roll; the back

door is not only locked with a Superior lock, but is

chained from the inside as well.

YOLANDA (Cait Sidhe)

As cat:

Str Por

Agi Sup

Int Pas

Cun Gud

Cha Gud

Run Gud

Hos Pas

Com Pas

Dam Gud x 3

BP 3

Hall

There is a very dusty rug in the middle of the

floor, rucked up slightly, and a disagreeable smell

in the air. This is probably due to the forty or so

cats milling about. The cats appear to be normal in

every way, and none of them have gold eyes.

The only furniture is a small table to the left of

the front door. It is dusty, but faint fingerprints can

be seen. The drawer contains nothing but a small

key (which unlocks the back door). The legs of the

table are set with two agates, worth about $10

each.

Underneath the staircase, directly opposite the

front door, are two portraits. One is a large, life-like

portrait of a woman holding a beautiful cat with

white fur and green eyes. A small brass plate reads

‘Beloved Amanda’. The other is a portrait of a

young man next to a horse. The brass plate reads

‘Brave Corren.’

Claws can rend chainmail. A person who

suffers from a claw wound may contract a fever

and become incapacitated for STA(-Pas) days.

As human:

Str Pas

Agi Pas

Int Pas

Cun Gud

Cha Gud

Run Pas

Hos Pas

The Cat With Gold Eyes

Com Pas

Dam Gud

BP 3

Dining Room

The floor is covered with a plush, but worn

carpet. A formal dining table with 8 cushioned

chairs takes up most of the space. On the table is a

decanter and eight glasses. There is a fireplace on

the west wall and a long, low buffet along the north

wall. An elaborate, cob-webby chandelier hangs

over the table. Only candle stubs remain in the

chandelier, and some of the wax has dripped onto

the table. A faint outline of a foot can be seen in it.

There are cats in this room, but they are peaceful,

watching the party. If attacked, they will scamper

out of the room.

Once the party has entered this room, the

decanter will magically pour wine into the glasses,

and a filled glass will float to each person entering

the room. If the character refuses to drink, the wine

will be dashed into his face, and the glass returns

to the table. If the character drinks, he will find it a

very fine wine indeed, with no ill effects.

The buffet on the north wall contains the body

of a brownie, dead about a week. His face and

hands are terribly scratched. If searched, a

promissory note for $110, signed by Herbert

Twelvetrees will be found. It is a bill of hire for one

Ebbet Littlefoot. A dagger may be found in his boot,

and a few coins in his pocket, but it is obvious that

someone has stripped him of all other possessions.

By gazing into a character’s eyes, Yolanda can

form a telepathic link for WILL(-Grt) x 2 hours with

her victim. Once per hour, she may give the

affected character a command which he must obey

unless he makes a WILL(Pas) roll. Yolanda carries

a dagger containing three doses of poison. This

poison causes STA(-Gud) hours of paralysis to

anyone who is injured by her dagger.

Yolanda is completely mad from putting on

the Cloak of Insanity (which is now in the sitting

room). She was originally hired by Herbert to

search the house for his aunt’s treasure and to

slowly poison the old woman. In her madness,

Yolanda believes she has been sent by her mother,

the cat goddess, to make the house into a temple.

To this end, Yolanda has been squandering

Serena’s fortune on bizarre ‘pets.’ These pets are

kidnapped by serpentine slavers and brought

secretly to the house. Yolanda calls them her

mother’s congregation.

Staircase

Anyone following Yolanda will find the landing

blocked by a reddish haze. Within it stands the

sphinx Sophia. It is her duty to prevent anyone

from passing. The mist around her is magical, and

will only allow one of character to pass through at

a time. Distance weapons and spells merely bounce

off the mist.

ServantÔs Room

This room has no windows. It was once a

sitting room for the household servants, but it has

obviously not been used in quite some time. A table

leans against the south wall and a rickety chair

leans against the north wall, but there is no other

furniture. A pile of bedding is heaped in the SW

corner, and the room smells awful.

If the bedding is removed, the body of a large

barbarian will be found. He has been mauled by

something larger than a housecat. His body has

been stripped of armor and no weapons can be

found. A search of his body reveals half a

promissory note, promising the bearer $90 and

signed by Herbert Twelvetrees.

SOPHIA (Sphinx)

Str Sup

Agi Por

Int Grt

Cun Gud

Cha Por

Run Grt

Hos Gud

Com Grt

Dam Gud x2

BP 4

The Cat With Gold Eyes

Kitchen

small hammer (+1 brawling weapon) and a handful

of rusty nails. The north wall is lined with barrels,

containing pickled meat. The back entrance is

firmly barred and chained, and only a Strength of

Superior or an Unlock of Great can open it. The key

can be found in the hall (see Hall). A large fireplace

covers the east wall. There is a large, wooden table

in the center of the room, and two rickety chairs.

On the west wall is a boarded up door - the pantry.

As characters approach the kitchen, banging

pots and pan may be heard, along with a male voice

singing a jolly song. Upon entering, characters will

surprise Larry the lammasu in the act of

scrounging up something to eat. A firbolg will

automatically recognize this creature, but unless a

character makes a Legends roll of great or more, he

will probably mistake the gentle lammasu for a

vicious manticore.

Pantry

LARRY (Lammasu)

Str Grt

Agi Inf

Int Gud

Cun Gud

Cha Gud

Run Grt

Hos Inf

Com Pas

Dam Pas x 3

BP 4

The door to the pantry is boarded up. Larry

has no idea what is in the room beyond. The

boards may be pried off with a Strength or Unlock

roll of Passable. Inside, the walls are lined with

shelves, containing small amounts of dried goods -

flour, salt, beans, etc. Some of these items have

spilled to the floor.

The body of a female wolfling is in here. She is

remarkably well preserved, and a Passable Medical

or Poison roll will ascertain that she was killed by

poison. She is carry a short sword, red with blood,

a water skin (empty), dagger, and a promissory

note from Herbert Twelvetrees for $100. She has

$3 in her pocket, a locket in the shape of a cat and a

leather chest cuirass. An examination of her body

will show tiny puncture wounds on her upper

arms, and four tiny darts can be found on the floor.

A fifth dart is still clutched in her hand. They are

coated with Cassav, which will be recognized by a

Poison roll of Superior or better.

Larry does not recognize her, and is astounded

by her presence.

Larry has the following spells: Deflect

Weapon, Short-sighted, and Antidote.

Larry is firmly chained to the hearth along the

east wall. These chains can be broken with a

Strength or Unlock roll of superior or better. The

key has been hidden by Yolanda in Bedroom #1,

upstairs.

Larry will eagerly tell the party that he was

captured 6 months ago by unscrupulous nomads.

He was then delivered to the Twelvetrees mansion

and housed in a room upstairs until just recently,

when Yolanda used her hypnotic gaze to force him

into the kitchen. He will also tell the party that

Yolanda is mad, and believes that her mother is a

goddess who wishes to make this house her

temple. He does not know who Serena Twelvetrees

is, but one night while he was upstairs, a little old

lady came creeping into his room. She looked at

him sadly and said: ‘Poor fellow. If only I hadn’t let

it go so far,’ before slipping away again.

If Larry is freed, he will refuse to join the

party, for fear of the insane Yolanda. He has heard

terrible thumps, bumps and screeches in the night,

and he wants no part of it.

If the kitchen is searched, the party will find

crockery, dull kitchen knives, a ball of twine, a

Sitting Room

This room is full of furniture, most of it piled

against the north wall. It’s obvious this furniture

has recently been moved here from the hall. A

panther has made his lair behind it, and will attack

the first person who comes near.

PANTHER

Str Grt

Agi Gud

Int Pat

Cun Pas

Cha ---

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